RenuWell Pilot Projects Transform Inactive Wellsites to Generate Solar Energy
Source: · ELECTRICAL INDUSTRY · | June 27, 2022
The RenuWell Project partners are excited to announce the groundbreaking of two pilot sites located near Taber, Alberta. These pilot sites are the first of their kind to repurpose inactive oil and gas infrastructure as a foundation for renewable energy development and job creation.
When operating, the solar projects will generate 2,030 MWh annually – enough electricity to power 280 average Alberta households or irrigate 11,700 acres of farmland for an average year. This is roughly equivalent to $200,000 in electricity sales per year with 1,100 tCO2e savings in GHG emissions. Over a 25-year lifespan, the projects will generate 50,750 MWh, with GHG emission savings of 28,420 tCO2e.
Worker-led organization Iron & Earth collaborated with Medicine Hat College, along with solar energy and wellsite closure experts, to develop a rapid-upskilling program, the RenuWell Workforce Training Program, for fossil fuel industry and Indigenous workers to learn the basics of solar before working on transforming the well sites. The inaugural training program is taking place this week, from June 20 - 27, with a celebratory course completion event for the 15 trainees, funders, collaborators and supporters, to be held in Taber on June 28.
Shawn Hubbard, a current participant of the program, outlined his interest and excitement in the program, “I’ve been following Iron & Earth for a little while because they are transitioning from oil and gas to solar and I'm interested in moving my career into solar. That's why I signed up; because it's a new direction. Oil and gas has been in decline in this area and I'm excited because it's a new industry and it's growing fast.”
Keith Hirsche, a leading innovator in the oil and gas industry and originator of The RenuWell Project concept, says several key innovations make The RenuWell Project unique. “We’re using brownfield sites for solar energy projects, which allows for productive use of the land while the long-term bioremediation process occurs. Instead of removing the roads and power lines during well reclamation, these pieces of infrastructure can stay in place and be repurposed for the solar energy project. This saves time and money for both the conventional and renewable energy industries.”